Motion-transmitter.



No. 562,6".- Patented miv. 27,1900.

" .4.' c. WALKER.

MUTIUN TRANSMITTER.

(Application md July 19', loc.)

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/ By me/wko@ rrnn the' JAMES CONSTANT WALKER, OF VAGO, TEXAS.

Menon-TRANSMITTER.

SPECIFICATION for'mng part of Letters Patent No. 662,61 1, dated November 27, 1900.

Application tiled July 19, 1.900. Serial No. 24,210. (No modelh To @ZZ wiz/0m t may concern:

Be it `known that I, JAMES CONSTANT WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vaco, in the county of McLennan and State of Texas,'have invented a new and useful-Motion-Transmitter for Wave-Motors,

ment contemplates the employment of a converter reciprocated by the application of power-as, for instance, from a float-and embodying a pair of opposed racks which alternately engage a pinion at opposite sides of the periphery thereof or, more properly speaking, at diametrically opposite points. The alternate engagement of the racks is effected du ring the alternate reciprocatory movem ents of the converter to effect the translation of the reciprocatory movement imparted by the float into continuous rotary movement of the pinion in one direction, whereby a powershaft or other power-transmitting mechanism operated by the pinion may be employed for the transmission of the energy generated by the wave-motor for the operation of various forms of machinery.

In a somewhat more specific aspect the invention contemplates the production of simple and effective mechanism for causing the automatic lateral shifting of the converter for the purpose of effecting the alternate movement being effected by the change of direction of the pitman extending between the converter and the iioat or other actuator.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for insuring the smooth antifrictional movement of the converter during the engagement of either rack with the pinion and -also while being shifted from one position to the other at the initiation of each reciprocation.

Further objects and advantages will hereinafter more fully appear,as the necessity for their accomplishment is developed,in the subjoined description `when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In said drawings, Figure lis a sectional elevation of my device complete, showing the converter descending. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the converter ascending, and Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the device.

Referring to the reference-numerals designating like parts and structural characteristics in each of the views, l and 2 indicate the frame uprights or standards connected by a series of cross-beams 3, each provided with a longitudinal slot 4 for the accommodation of the vertically-reciprocatory converter composed of a stem 5 and a link-block d at its upper and lower ends, respectively, and a pair of intermediate parallel rack-bars 7 and 8, extended through and guided within the slots 4 and rigidly connected to the stem 5 and block 6 by the converging arms 9. Upon their opposed faces the rackvbars 7 and 8 are provided with toothed racks 10 and 11, the teeth of which are inclined in opposite directions-that is to say, the teeth of the rack 10 are given an upward inclination, while the teeth of the rack ll are downwardlyinclined, the relative angles of inclination being the same in both instances. These toothed racks of the converter are designed for alternate engagement with a pinion l2, mounted upon a power-shaft 13, journaled in suitable bearings 14, carried yby the intermediate crossbeam The pinion l2 extends above and below the intermediate beam 3 and is accommodated within the slot 4 in said beam, the diameter of the pinion being such as to prevent simultaneous engagement of both racks l0 and 1l with the teeth of the pinion, which teeth, as clearly shown in the drawings, are given a tangentialinclination which will cause the inclinations of the teeth disposed at diametrically opposite points upon the periphery of the pinion to coincide with the inclination of the opposed teeth of the racks. The reason for these relative inclinations of the teeth of the rack and pinion is that the engagement of each rack with the pinion must be positive, and as the racks engage only during the opposite or alternate recipro- IOO cations of the converter the engaging teeth are given an inclination which will tend to prevent the accidental lateral shifting of the converter which would effect the disengagement of the opposed teeth. The stem 5 of the converter extends through a slot in a head-beam 16, extending between the up.

rights 1 and 2 a suitable distance above the series of cross-beams` 3, and within the opposite ends of each of the slots Lland the slot 15 are mounted antifrictional rollers 17 and 18, designed to antifrictionally guide the movements of the converter by contact with the rack-bar 7 or S, as thel case may be, when said converter is shifted toits opposite positions for the purpose of engaging the racks with the pinion.

As has been heretofore stated, one of the primary objects of my invention is to provide for the smooth antifrictional movement of the converter as it is being shifted to one side or the other at the beginning of its opposite reciprocatory movements; but before proceeding to a description of the mechanism which I employ to the attainment of this end I will rst ,describe the novel means which I employ for effecting this automatic lateral movement or shifting of the converter and will then proceed with a description of the means for rendering such movement smooth and antifrictional.

The float-stem 19 is connected to the linkblock 6 by means a pitman 20,havinga pivotal connection with the upper end of the doatstem and extended into the block 6, where its opposite end is pivotally connected to the shifting-link 2l,having its opposite end pivotally mounted upon a stationary pintle 22 to one side of the vertical cen ter of the block 6. The function of the pitman 20 and lin k 21 is to shift the point of application of power to opposite sides of the vertical center of the con verter during the opposite reciprocations of the floatstem for the purpose of causing said stem to e'X'ert its force in a proper direction to automatically shift the converter for the purpose of presenting the racks 10 and 11 to the pinion alternately. The depression of the link 21 iinpelled by the downward movement of the Heat-stem is limited by a stop-lug 23, and its y elevation upon the upward movement of said -application of power, to the left of the vertical center of the converter. The effect of this will be to cause the converter to be shifted to the left to effect the engagement of the rack 1l with the pinion l2. Further downward movement of the stem will obviously several guide-slots.

the right thereof.

effect the rotation of the pinion in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l until the converter has reached the limit of its downward movement. The opposite reciprocation orupward movement of the stem i9 before effecting the reciprocation of the' converter will first elevatethelink 21 tothrow the pivotal con nec'tion 25 or the point of application of power to the right of the vertical center of the link-block 6, which will now cause the converter to be shifted to the right to present the rack 10 to the pinion 12 for the purpose of continuing the rotary movement of said pinion in the same direction during the upward reciprocation of the converter.

It is evident from the foregoing that the reversal of the direction of movement of the stem 19 will effect the automatic shifting of the converter to engage the racks 10 and 11 alternately with the pinion 12 at diam etrically opposite point-s upon the peripherery thereof, and it will also appear that after the converter has reached the limit of its lateral movement or shifting it will be guidedantifrictionally by the contact of either the rackbar 7 or 9 with the antifrictional rollers 17 or 18, located in the opposite ends of the A further development of my invention, however, contemplates the employment of counterating guide-levers which will maintain an anitfrictional engage-4 ment with the opposite sides of the converter at all times for the purposeof insuring the smooth antifrictional shifting of said converter and to prevent violent jarring or vibration of the parts during their reciprocation or shifting. These counteracting guide devices are shown as embodied in bell-crank levers, the levers at the left of the converter being indicated by the numeral 26 and those at the right beingindicated by the numeral27. vEach of these levers is provided at its extremity adjacent to the converter with an antifrictionroller 28 and at its opposite end with a counterpoise 29, the levers 26 being fulcrumed below each of the bars 3 and 16 at the left of the converter, and each of the levers 27 being fulcrumed in brackets 30 above said beams to Inasmuch as the rollercarrying arms of the levers 26 are designed to move downwardly from their horizontal positions, and as the bearing-arms of the levers 27 are designed to move upwardly from the horizontal position, the weighted arms of the levers 27 depend below the cross-beams, which are provided with slots 31 for their accommodation. Each of the bearing-arms may be, and preferably is, provided with a stop 32, designed to limit the movementof the arm to prevent its passing a horizontal plane under the impulse ofthe counterweight.

Assuming the parts to be in the position indicated in Fig. 1 'of the drawings-that is to say, assuming the converter to be moving downwardly with the rack 11 in engagement with the pinion lZ-the bearing-arms of the several levers 27 will be in'their horizontal po- IOO IIO

sitions above the beams 3 and i6 and the rollers 28, carried thereby, will be opposed to the contiguous side of the converter, which will be antifractionally retained between therollers 2S and 17, the former being located upon the levers 27 and the latter Within the opposite ends of the slots 4 and 15. At the same time the bearing-arms of thelevers 26 at the left of the converter will have been depressed against the resistance of the counterweights 29, which latter will exert a constant pressure tending to shift the converter in the opposite direction. When the converter has reached the downward limit of its movement and is shifted to the right by the swinging of the link 21 for the purpose of presenting the rack l() to the pinion l2, the movementof the converter will be assisted b v the swinging of the levers 26 under the impulse of their counterweights 29, and the levers 27 will be simultaneously rotated to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings to swing back the bearing-arms of said levers against the resistance of their counterweighted arms, the converter now being retained antifrictionally between the rollers 28 of the levers 29 and the rollers 18 within the opposite ends of the guide-slots. It will thus be seen that the several levers 26 and 27 constitute opposed or counterbalancing guide devices which maintain an antifrictional engagement with the converter at all times to prevent violent vibration of the latter during its shifting and to insure its antifrictional movement both laterally and longitudinally under all conditions.

While the present embodiment of the invention appears at this time to be preferable, I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the structural details defined, as I reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations as may be properly comprehended Within the scope of the'prorection prayed.

A What I claim isl. Inamotion-transmitter,thecombination with a reciprocatory converter mounted to have lateral movement, and a rotary element designed to be engaged during the opposite reciprocatory movements thereof, of an actuator, and a connecting device carried by the converter and operatively connected with the actuator, said connecting device being shiftable to the opposite sides of the center of the converter through the movement of the actuator.

2. In a motion-transmitting device, t-he combination with a reciprocatory converter provided with a pair of racks and a pinion mounted for alternate engagement with said racks, of a reciprocatory actuator, and a connecting device carried by the converter and operatively connected with the actuator, said conn ecting device being shiftable to opposite sides ot' the longitudinal center of the convert-er through the movement of the actuator.

3. In a motion-transmitting device, the combination with a converter having a pair ofopposed racks, and an intermediate pinion, of a swinging link carried by the converter, means for connecting said link to a reciprocatory actuator, and means for limiting the movement of the link to position its swinging end in positions at opposite sides of the center of the con verter during the opposite movements of the latter.

et. In a motiontransmitting device, the combination with a converter having a pair of opposed racks, and anintermediat-e pinion,

of a link-block movable with the converter, a

swinging link mounted upon the block, a reciprocatory actualor, a pitman pivotally connected to said actuator and link, respectively, and a pair of stops located to limit the movements of the link in opposite directions to position the swinging end of said link at opposite sides of the center of the converter for the purpose of shifting the point of application of power during the opposite movements of the converter.

`5. In a motion -transmitting device, the combination with a reciprocatory converter, means for shifting the converter laterally and a rotary element arranged for engagement with said converter, of antifrictional guide devices engaging the opposite sides of the converter, and means for maintaining the engagement of said devices with the converter during the shifting thereof.

6. In a motion transmitting device, the combination with a reciprocatory converter, means for shifting t-he converter laterally and a rotary element arranged for engagementV with said converter, of pivoted guide devices engaging the opposite sides of the converter, and means for urging said devices in the direction of the converter to maintain an operative connection therewith during the shifting thereof. I

7. In a motion transmitting device, the combination with a reciprocatory converter, means for shifting the converter laterally and a rotary element arranged for engagement with said converter, of counterbalanced guide devices operatively engaging the opposite sides of the converter.

8. In a motion transmitting device, the combinat-ion with a reciprocatory converter, means for shifting the converter laterally and a rotary element arranged for engagement with said converteigof counterweighted levers located beyond the opposite sides of the converter and provided with terminal antifrictional devices engaging the opposite sides of the converter.

9. In a motion-transmitting device, the

combination with a reciprocatory conve-rter, means for shifting the converter laterally and a rotary element arranged for engagement with said converter, of counterweighted bellcrank levers located at opposite sides of the converter and provided with antifrictional rollers in contact therewith.

l0. In a motion-transmitting device, the combination with a reciprocatory converter,

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' rneansfor shifting the converter laterally and a rotary element arranged for engagement with said converter, of slotted guide-beams for said converter, oppositely active counter- Weighted bell-crank levers having bearing arms located above and below the bearingbeams and in engagement, respectively, with the opposite sides of the converter.

ll. In a motion -transmitting device, the combination with a reciprocatory converter, means for shifting the converter laterally and a rotary element arranged for engagement with said converter, of slotted guide-beams for the reception ofthe converter, an tifrictionrollers carried by said beams within the 0pposite ends of the slots, and counterweighted bell-crank levers having antifriction-rollers opposed to the opposite sid es of the converter, and means for limiting the movement of said levers.

12. In a motion-transmitting device, the

- combination with a converter comprising a pair of opposed racks, and a link-block, of a swinging link carried by the block, means for applying power to the link for the actuation of the converter, means for limiting the move- 4ment of thev link'to locate its free end at one side of the center ofV the converter to 'eiect the shifting of thelatteigand connt-erweighted guide devices maintaining anV engagement with the converter during the shifting of the `latter to prevent vibration thereof.

13. In a motion-transmitting device, the combination with a frame comprising uprights and slotted cross-beams provided with antifrictional rollers in the ends of the slots, of a converter comprising a pair of racks passed through said slots, a link-block located at one end of the converter, a shifting element carried by the link-block for the application of power, and counterweighted bellcrank levers carrying antifrictional rollers in contact with the opposite sides of the converter 'for the purpose of guiding the latter during its lateral movement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES CONSTANT WALKER.`

Witnesses:

JOHN H. ROGERS, J. B. WILSON.- 

